Flipside
by Maplestyle
Summary: You've read her story. Now find out what happened on the flipside. *I recommend reading Love Hurts before reading this.*
1. Chapter 1

End of August

"Alec, I swear to God! Would you just put that down and leave?"

I couldn't believe I let my parents talk me into letting my brother bring me to school. He was the most annoying person I knew.

"Ah, Belly Smelly, come on. I won't see you until Thanksgiving. I have to get my fun in now."

I rolled my eyes. "You live, like, two hours away from me, dumbass. You can come see me anytime you want."

He put my suitcase down, finally, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. "You love me, Smelly, you really _really_ love me."

I pushed his shoulder. "Fuck off, you big jerkface." I stuck out my tongue at him.

He grabbed me around the neck, putting me in a headlock and rubbing his knuckles on the top of my head. I squealed, squirming to get away from his grasp.

" _Alec!_ Stop. Please."

From the open door of my dorm room, I heard a quiet chuckle, glancing up in time to see some guy walking by my door. He was tall, taller than Alec, with messy bronze hair. He gave me a small wave and continued down the hall, towing his suitcases on a trolley he must have gotten from downstairs.

Alec finally let me go, leaving me breathless and panting from the exertion of trying to get away from him.

"I can't believe you did that to me!"

"Hey, I had to get my shots in now, Smelly. I don't know when I'm going to be able to come see you. But I'll try for soon, 'kay?"

I walked him to the door and out into the hallway. I couldn't tell you why, but suddenly, the thought of being without my older brother made me incredibly sad. Tears welled in my eyes, and I sniffed.

"You okay, Bell?" Alec asked, and gently touched my shoulder.

I nodded, even as I sobbed.

"Come here, you." He grabbed me, pulling me into a hug.

"Don't be sad. I'll see you as soon as I can, and if you need me, I'm only a phone call away. Okay?"

"Okay."

He kissed my forehead. "Love you."

"I love you, too."

He squeezed me one more time, then let me go, turning to head to the elevator. I stood in the hallway, watching him until the elevator doors closed, sealing him inside.

I heard a quiet, "Excuse me," from behind me and turned to see the guy from earlier standing there.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, moving out of his way.

"No problem. Saying goodbye to someone you love is hard." He gave me a small smile. I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah." I bit my lip, not knowing what else to say. "Well, I suppose I should—" I motioned behind me to my open dorm room door.

"Me too."

I turned to go back into my room, but felt compelled to turn around one more time.

He looked back just as the elevator doors opened, and with a small wave, walked inside and was gone.

I waved back, then closed my door and started unpacking my stuff.

.

.

.

Three days had passed, classes had started, and I was finally starting to feel as though I had settled in. I was thankful too that my parents had sprung for the private room. I'd met a nice girl named Lauren and her roommate Jessica, who'd done nothing but party since they'd moved in, much to Lauren's dismay. I felt bad for Lauren, but not enough to let her move in with me.

I got to see Bronze, as I'd taken to calling him, in most of my classes. I didn't talk to him, but we'd waved a few times. He was even more attractive than I had noticed at first glance. I wondered what his story was... Was he from around here? Did he come from farther away? Did he have a girl back home? I sighed. A guy that attractive definitely had a girl at home.

The teacher came in to the lecture hall I was currently sitting in and started class, drawing my attention away from Bronze. I blushed when I realized I had been staring… again. It was a good thing he hadn't noticed. I would have been mortified.

.

.

.

Weeks had gone by before I learned that Bronze's name was actually Edward. It was kind of an old fashioned name, but I liked it. The teacher had set a group project and he was part of my group, along with another guy named Riley—coincidentally Edward's roommate—and some girl named Bree, who I didn't know well.

We met up after class to work out a schedule for meeting in the library, and I volunteered to book us a study room at the library for those weeks.

"I don't mind doing that, Bella," Edward said. "I'm heading that way anyway."

"I have some studying to do for Banner's class, so I was going there too."

"Ugh, yes. Banner's a dick. Who has a test this early? You want to study together for it? I could really use someone to quiz me."

I bit my lip before agreeing. "Sure, let's go."

.

.

.

Our walk to the library was fairly silent; I didn't know what to talk to Edward about. Every time I saw him, the butterflies in my belly would take flight. Thankfully, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my bag, glancing at it. I got excited when I saw it was Alec.

"Hello?"

" _Smelly, how's it going?"_

"Good! I can't believe how much I miss you, though!"

I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hold on a second." I turned to glance at Edward.

"I'm going to go inside and get us a table. Take as long as you need, okay?"

I nodded my head, and watched him walk away.

" _Smelly? Was that a boy you were talking to? Do I need to drive down there and check him out? Make sure he's not a killer?"_

"You are such a dumbass, Alec." I laughed. "He's a guy in my group project. I don't even know him that well."

" _Sure, Belly Smelly, sure. I bet you like him. I bet you want to jump his_ _—_ _"_

" _Alec!_ Enough!" I groaned.

" _Seriously though, Belly, be careful."_

"I will. When are you going to come and see me?"

" _Soon. I'll be there in a couple weeks. I'll stay for the weekend."_

"Sounds good. Okay, I'm going to go and study for a test I have. I'll talk to you soon."

" _Talk soon, Bella. Love you, sis."_

When I entered the library, I stopped first at the counter to book a study room for the pre-arranged dates, then made my way to the tables to find Edward. He wasn't hard to spot with his odd-colored hair.

I could see he was on the phone as I approached.

"Oh, my study partner is here. I gotta go. Yeah. I love you, too. Talk soon."

My stomach dropped when I heard him say, "I love you, too." I had kind of figured he'd have a girlfriend, but thinking it and knowing it were two different things.

"Everything okay, Bella?"

I nodded my head as I pulled out a chair. "Fine. Everything is fine. So, where should we start?"

 **Surprise! It's not Edward's POV... but I hope you like it anyway! Thanks to the usual suspects Annie, Missy, Kenny and Mid! This is going to post a chapter a day until completely posted. It's completely written though!**


	2. Chapter 2

October

Things I'd discovered about Edward Cullen. He was probably one of the sweetest guys I'd ever met. He was smart—like super smart. And, unfortunately, he'd been in a relationship with his girlfriend, Angela, for two years. It was like a kick to the gut hearing about her. Though I knew, deep down inside, especially after overhearing the end of his conversation at the library, that he probably had a girlfriend, I had to admit, knowing the actual fact, sucked.

It was also a little heartbreaking, because it meant we could never be more than friends. But being friends was better than nothing. After weeks of working on our group project, Riley, Edward, Bree, and I were actually becoming the best of friends. We hung out all the time, going to parties, studying, or even just going for coffee. Tonight, we were going to a Halloween party at another friend of Edward's; some guy named James, who lived in an off-campus residence house a few blocks over.

By the time we all got ready to go and arrived at the party, it was in full swing. We entered the house and Edward immediately started looking for James. We finally found him in a group of others over by the kitchen.

"James, dude, there are so many people here. Someone's going to call Campus Security."

James just laughed. "No worries, my friend. I've got a friend on the force. If they have to come out, all I'll get is a warning."

Edward introduced all of us to James, who led us into the kitchen to get us drinks. I wasn't sure how I felt about drinking in a house full of people I didn't know, but Edward and Riley were there, and they wouldn't let anything happen to us.

We all had a great time at the party, and James was super sweet. So sweet that before we left, when he asked me for my number, I didn't hesitate to say yes.

.

.

.

James was funny. We texted all the time, and talked on the phone, too. One of his favorite things to talk about was stuff that happened in the class he shared with Edward that I didn't have. I almost wished I did have that class; the teacher sounded like a complete moron.

He told me all about his sisters, and I told him about Alec. We traded stories about our families—from childhood to present. It was comfortable, talking to him. I didn't know if I actually felt for him what I was feeling for Edward, but James was available and Edward was not. I couldn't turn down something with someone based on my feelings for someone who was unattainable.

.

.

.

Thanksgiving was approaching, and I couldn't wait. Alec never did end up being able to come and see me, and I was kind of excited to see the asshole. The closer Thanksgiving got, the more I noticed that Edward was struggling with something.

"What's going on with you, Edward? Is everything all right?"

He exhaled a breath. "Yeah. I'm just… super stressed out. We've got a ton of stuff due right after the break, and everyone is pressuring me to come home. I don't think I can, though."

I bit my lip. I didn't know if there was any way I could help him except to offer, "Why don't you come home with me?"

His eyes bugged out of his head. "Um, I... I don't know, Bella."

"I didn't mean it like that, you loser. I meant, home with me for Thanksgiving. That way your family knows you won't be all alone, and we can work on our projects together. Two heads are better than one and all that jazz."

He hesitated, but I could tell he was considering it. "Are you sure your parents wouldn't mind?"

"I'll call them to make sure, but I'm positive they won't care."

He fiddled with his phone for a second, saying, "That would be great. Thanks."

 **A/N: I forgot to mention last chapter that the characters are Stephanie's. I just enjoy playing around with them. To my girls (you've heard about them all by now but in case you need reminding Missy, Kenny, Annie and Mid) I love you all... you complete me!**


	3. Chapter 3

November

My parents were totally fine with Edward coming home with me for Thanksgiving, with repeated assurances that "no, he's only a friend," and "he has a girlfriend, Dad," and "of course he's going to sleep in Alec's room." So that week we packed up Edward's car with our suitcases and made the two hour drive to New Hampshire.

Edward's phone went off constantly on the drive. He would take it off the dash, sigh, then put it back down. I wanted to ask him about it, but decided if he wanted to talk about it he would. The drive was pretty fun, with the exception of the incessant ringing. At one point, when we were stopped in traffic, he typed out something quick, and then turned off the phone. I asked him if he wanted to pull over to use the phone, and he declined, saying he let them know he'd call as soon as he was settled.

Just before we arrived at my parents', my own phone rang. I glanced at it and noticed it was Alec.

"Hey, Alec!"

" _Smelly, where are you? I've been here for hours!"_

I laughed. "We're almost there. Hold your horses."

" _I miss you, hurry up."_

To say I was touched would be an understatement. I knew my brother loved me, and I loved him as well, but living at home together wasn't always the easiest thing for us both.

"I miss you too, Alec." I sighed. "I'll see you soon."

I hung up and put my phone back in my purse. Getting a glimpse of Edward's face. Something about the look on it made my stomach twist, but I couldn't name it, exactly. It was a mix of sadness and wistfulness. Again, I wanted to ask, but chose not to go there.

.

.

.

Alec was already standing outside when we pull up in the car. He didn't even let me get my seatbelt off before he was wrenching open the door and trying to pull me out of the car.

" _Smelly!_ " he yelled, causing me to flinch back.

He grabbed me in a headlock and gave me a noogie.

"Let me go, you asshole! _Alec! Stop!_ " I was trying to wiggle away from him. I should've known by now that resistance was futile.

When he was finished, he let go, panting; a huge smile on his face. I turned to look at Edward, and his eyes were practically popping out of his head.

"Edward," I began, and rolled my eyes, motioning to the idiot beside my door, "this is my idiot brother, Alec. Alec, my friend, Edward."

"Your brother?" Edward said on an exhale. "But I thought… never mind. It's nice to meet you, man." He leaned over me and offered Alec his hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Edward. You're bunking with me. Why don't you grab your stuff and I'll show you where my room is."

"That sounds great, thanks." Edward undid his seatbelt and got out of the car.

We collected our bags from the trunk and headed into the house—with Edward's cell phone going off again.

.

.

.

I stowed my bags in my room and went downstairs to find my parents. They were exactly where I expected them to be—in front of the television, watching some game show and arguing over the correct answer. When the correct answer was revealed, my mother looked pointedly at my dad, as if to say, "I'm right, like usual," and he leaned over, nudging her knee with his. They were still so much in love, even after all their years together. It gave me hope for the future. One day I would have a relationship like theirs.

"Hey, Mom, Dad." I announced my presence by walking in the room.

"Bella!" My mom stood up to give me a hug. "How was the drive, honey?"

"It was good."

My dad also stood and gave me a hug once my mom was finished. "How's school going, baby girl?"

"Really good, Dad. My classes are a little hard. But I've got a good group of friends who help me out."

"Speaking of friends... Where is Edward?" Mom asked, looking around.

"He's in Alec's room, putting his stuff away. I think they'll be down shortly."

Alec appeared five minutes later without Edward. When Mom inquired where Edward was, Alec said he stayed in his room to make a call.

I asked if anyone wanted anything to drink, while we waited for Edward, and went into the kitchen to get everyone the soda they requested. Alec volunteered to come help me.

"So," Alec said when we got into the kitchen, "what's the deal with Edward's girlfriend?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not sure, why?"

"Bella, his phone has been going off every five seconds since he got here. Finally, I told him where to find us and left him in my room to call her."

"Yeah, his phone was going off a lot in the car on the way here, too. I didn't want to push him and ask who it was."

"It was crazy, Bella. It's like it never stopped. It would ring, ping a text, ring again right after, then ping another text."

I just shrugged again, having no idea what the hell was going on. "Let's go back into the living room before Edward gets there, so I can introduce him to Mom and Dad."

.

.

.

Shortly after Alec and I got back with the drinks, Edward came downstairs and I introduced him to my mom and dad. They seemed to like him quite a bit and talked for a while. Mom asked me to help her with something for dinner and we went into the kitchen.

"Well, he seems like a very nice young man, Bella."

I could tell where she was about to go by the tone in her voice. "And we're only friends, Mom. He has a girlfriend."

"What about you, Bella?" she asked with a smile. "Any boyfriends?"

"Not really. There's one guy, James. We've been talking on the phone. He's pretty sweet."

"Now, Bella. You should be concentrating on school, not boys," my dad said as he walked into the kitchen, causing Mom to laugh.

"Are you forgetting where we met, Charlie?" Mom asked, walking over to him.

I laughed at the sheepish look on my dad's face. We were still laughing when we got back to the living room. I glanced to Edward to make sure he was okay. I couldn't decipher the look on his face, but he didn't look happy. He looked frustrated, and sad. His phone rang again. He glanced at it briefly, shook his head, shutting it off and putting it in his pocket.

My parents and Alec started talking about his classes, so I took the opportunity to nudge Edward with my foot. When he looked at me, I mouthed, "Everything okay?" He nodded and smiled, but I didn't believe it for a minute. I could tell he was stressed.

"Do you want to grab some snacks and then get started on that paper for Banner's class?" I asked him out loud.

He gave me a grateful smile, answering, "Sure. That'd be great."

.

.

.

Banner's paper ended up being a lot easier to do with the two of us sharing ideas and theories. We even got Riley and Bree on Skype sessions to see if they had additional ideas that we hadn't thought of. One paper down, three to go.

I stretched and yawned, looking at the clock. I couldn't believe it was almost midnight already and we'd been working on this paper for almost four hours.

"You ready to head up for bed, Edward?"

He looked up at me, startled. "Oh… um. Do you think it would be okay if I stayed down here for a bit? I want to make some calls, but I don't want to bug Alec if he's trying to sleep."

"Of course, that's okay. You know where the fridge is if you need anything to drink."

An hour later, I still couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs to get some water. As I was about to walk into the kitchen, I could hear Edward. He was trying to whisper, but was so angry I could hear him clearly.

"I just don't know what the fuck to do, man. Thirty fucking times. No, I'm not kidding. It was embarrassing. No… I don't know."

I cracked the door, and peeked my head in.

"I gotta go, Em. Give my love to Rosie. I will. Yeah man, you too. Soon, for sure."

Once he hung up, I walked fully into the kitchen. "You all right?" I asked, as he said, "I didn't wake you, did I?"

I shook my head. "No, I couldn't sleep. Thought I'd get some water. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"You're fine, Bella. I was talking to my friend Emmett."

"Have you been friends long?"

He smiled. "Yeah, our whole lives. I'm really glad they're only an hour away. I like knowing we can still meet up when we have the time. Not that we've had time yet. I had no idea how busy the first term would be."

I grinned in agreement. "That's one of the things I like about where I am, too. I can always come home if I want to. As for how busy it is, I'm pretty sure we'll find some sort of balance… soon I hope."

He laughed. "Well, I should go up and get some sleep. Your dad told me everyone usually gets up early Thanksgiving Day."

I nodded my head. "Yeah, it's tradition. We play games and watch football. It's awesome."

"Thanks again for letting me tag along with you. I don't know what I would have done if I'd stayed at school by myself."

"Well, you're welcome to come any time."

He walked to the kitchen door. "Night, Bella."

"Night, Edward."

 **A/N: Love and kisses going out to the usual suspects Kenny, Annie, Missy and Mid. *snorts* The Usual Suspects, great movie (unless it's censored, then it can go fuck itself).**


	4. Chapter 4

December

When we left my parents' house at the end of Thanksgiving weekend, Edward had an open invitation from my parents to come back any time and we both had an invite to visit Alec at school. He told us to bring our friends with us, and we'd sort out where everyone was going to sleep once we all got there. I was super excited to see him in his environment, and to get the chance to embarrass him as much as I could.

The week after Thanksgiving, James called and asked me out on a date. Admittedly, I was a little nervous. We'd been texting and talking on the phone, but I hadn't been on a date in a long time. Bree came over and helped me pick out my outfit, and Edward razzed me when I emerged from the bathroom wearing it.

I ruffled his hair, and he pinched my side, making me stop. Almost as if it was planned, we both stuck out our tongues at each other.

"You guys are so juvenile." Bree laughed, and shook her head.

We grinned at her in response. I loved my relationship with Edward; we'd become the best of friends since Thanksgiving. And though I knew there were things he still wasn't comfortable talking about with me, that he preferred to discuss only with his male friends, I was okay with that. We were super close regardless.

"Now, _Belly_ ," Edward said, using the nickname that Alec used for me, "you make sure that your date remains a gentleman."

I glared at him in response, but was unable to hold in my giggles. "And what if I don't want him to remain a gentleman, _Mr. Cullen_?"

He wiggled his eyebrows and answered, "Then I most certainly will _not_ tell your brother."

.

.

.

My date with James went very well, and we'd seen each other a couple of times over the last two weeks. The end of term was coming up, so we'd all had little time to socialize; what with studying for finals and everything.

The closer we came to Christmas break, the more nervous Edward seemed to become. I knew he was heading home, and I was sure he was excited to see his friends, family, and his girlfriend. He still didn't say much when it came to her, though. I chalked it up to him being a very private person.

From what I could tell, he still talked to her regularly; though it didn't seem like his attempts were enough for her. His phone was constantly ringing, except while we were in class. He made the mistake of leaving it on once at the beginning of the term. The teacher chewed him out for his phone being so disruptive, so now he turned it off before walking through the door.

The week before we were scheduled to head home for winter break, Riley, Bree, James, Edward, and I went to my brother's for a weekend. I couldn't wait to see him. We all piled into James's car and headed out to Hanover. I was practically bouncing in the front seat. James and Edward were having great fun at my expense.

"Is she always like this in the car, Cullen?" James asked.

"She wasn't quite this hyper at Thanksgiving," he replied with a smirk.

I punched James lightly on the shoulder, turning and sticking out my tongue at Edward in the middle of the back seat.

"You guys are such jerks."

"But you love us, _Belly Smelly_ , _"_ Edward said in a mocking voice, causing everyone in the car to laugh.

I stuck out my tongue at him again.

He grinned in response, blowing me a kiss.

.

.

.

We got to New Hampshire in around two hours and pulled up in front of Alec's frat house. He could live at home, and did for part of his first year, but then he decided to pledge a fraternity and moved into the house with the rest of the guys. We piled out of the car, stretching and groaning about how stiff we all felt. The front door opened, and Alec poked his head out. I was about to call out to him, over Edward's shoulder, when he put his finger to his lips and shook his head no. My brow furrowed—what the fuck was he up to?

When he noticed Edward's back was to the door, he motioned to some blond guy standing behind him. The guy came outside and tiptoed up behind Edward.

"Oh God, it's so stiff," Edward said, rubbing his lower back.

"That's what she said," the guy behind him said with a huge grin on his face.

Edward's eyes widened, and he smiled, turning around. "Jazz!" He grabbed the guy and hugged him hard. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I go to school here, you ass. Don't tell me you forgot!"

Edward rolled his eyes. "I meant, where Bella's brother lives. I had planned on calling to let you know I was coming, but got busy. How did you know I was going to be here?"

Alec walked up and grabbed me in a headlock. "He saw your picture on Smelly's Facebook after Thanksgiving. Asked me how I knew you. I told him you're my sister's _bestie for life,"_ he singsonged and noogied me, finally letting me go.

Jasper took up the rest of the story. "So, I told him it'd been a long time since I'd talked to you, but we grew up together, and so we cooked up this surprise."

"I'm sorry it's been so long, Jazz. I feel like a shit, but it's been so hard trying to balance everything, you know?"

"Don't sweat it, Ed. I know what it's been like. I've barely had time to see Alice, and she's only three hours away. Of course, we do talk every day." At that, he gave Edward a pointed look.

Edward sighed. "I've had to keep my phone off a lot." He looked around at all of us. "I'll explain later."

.

.

.

Edward and Jasper—or Jazz as he preferred to be called—headed off to his room to talk while the rest of us gathered in the living room.

"I am so confused," Bree said. "How is it that he didn't know his long-time friend is here?"

"He knew he was going to school here, but not that we're in the same frat. After Jasper saw Edward's picture on Bella's Facebook, he asked me not to say anything. He knew he'd come eventually, because I'd told him about the invite. So he wanted to surprise him."

"We all know how busy the first term is," James said, and everyone nodded. "I mean, how many times have you called your friends since coming to college?"

"Truer words were never spoken," Riley chimes in. "I haven't even called my mom in weeks. I can feel the guilt trip I'm going to get at Christmas already."

We were all laughing when the front door burst open and a giant of a guy with a blonde and brunette walked in the door, also laughing and carrying on.

Alec got up and walked over to the newcomers. "Emmett! Long time no see!"

The big guy shook my brother's hand. "Nice to see you again, too! You remember my girlfriend Rosalie, and Jazz's girlfriend, Alice."

"Of course! Nice to see you again, ladies. Jazz is upstairs in his room with Edward."

The small brunette's eyes shot up. "Edward's here? How?"

Alec grimaced. "Shit, maybe it was supposed to be a surprise. Edward knows my sister, Bella." He motioned to me. I waved.

The four of them came back into the living room and Alec made introductions around the room. Not too long after, Jazz and Edward came back downstairs. The look on Edward's face, at the sight of his friends, made my stomach flip. He looked happier than I'd ever seen him. It made me want to make him smile like that more often. It was an incredible look on him.

We spent the weekend with my brother and Edward's friends, eating, laughing, and simply enjoying each other's company. All of us had such a great time, and by the end of the weekend, I knew I'd made four new friends.

Rosalie, Alice, and I exchanged phone numbers, and we suggested that Jasper and Alice meet at Harvard the next time they wanted to get together. If they both took the train, it would cut their travel time to see each other in half, and we could all hang out together.

As an added bonus, Edward had relaxed substantially. I was happy he was able to finally see some of his friends, and get the down time he so obviously needed. I felt bad, though, that his girlfriend was at home and missing this reunion-of-sorts, but none of them mentioned her much; at least not in front of the rest of us. I had a feeling, however, that it was a touchy subject, and they had all discussed it at one point with just each other.

I had to say, I was glad I wasn't part of _that_ conversation, with my weekend ending on a fun-filled high.

 **A/N: To everyone who reads, no words can ever thank you enough. For Mid, Kenny, Missy and Annie... you all are my lobsters. This early chapter is brought to you by Mich Ellis.**


	5. Chapter 5

January

Winter break came and went, and with the return of school, came the return of Edward to Boston. A more subdued version of the man he once was. I noticed he'd removed his relationship status from Facebook, and while I was dying to find out what had happened, I figured if he wanted to discuss it, he would.

Meanwhile, my relationship with James was flowing along, slowly but surely. We got along well and there wasn't much that we didn't discuss. He was sweet and funny, and I enjoyed my time with him. I wasn't sure how deep the connection went, but he certainly was attentive.

Alice and Jasper had been to Boston to meet up a few times, and I really had a lot of fun with them. They were great people and fantastic friends to Edward. Alice had seemed a little shocked at his breakup with Angela, but aside from telling me about her shock, she didn't say much on the topic. Rosalie, on the other hand, was a different story. She made no secret of the fact that Angela had been driving Edward crazy; constantly texting and calling, and while she felt bad for her friend, she knew how hard it had been on Edward, trying to "calm her crazy."

Again, I was glad I had no connection there to offer an opinion, and could simply listen and not have to comment. I did, however, watch Edward closely, and I knew he was in a different headspace than prior to the breakup. I just wasn't sure exactly what that meant for his future.

 **A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Special thanks to Missy, Annie, Kenny and Mid, without you my tenses would be horrid and I'd fuck up the timeline :p**


	6. Chapter 6

February

We all made a point of going out at least once on the weekend to different clubs or parties. Sometimes we would even take the drive to New Hampshire to hang out with my brother and his frat friends. It was a kind of therapy from all the study madness. Whatever we did, though, we always had a great time together.

For Edward, it seemed there was a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. He wasn't spending hours fending off phone calls or replying to text messages. He wasn't constantly looking as though he wanted to scream at or hide his phone away. He seemed quite relaxed and was talking and laughing more. He even contemplated joining the baseball team in the spring; something he said he had once loved, but had given up.

Though James and I were still somewhat together, we hadn't made it past kissing each other. If I was being honest with myself, I would say there were no romantic feelings there for him at all; I saw him as more of a brother. But that would mean confronting the real reason there was nothing more there: That I liked someone else. And that someone seemed to be breathing freely for the first time in what was probably ages, and I didn't want to complicate the already perfect relationship we did have.

So I kept silent.

 **A/N: Want to know who the pb, jelly, nutella and honey for my sandwich are? Annie, Kenny, Missy and Mid that's who! Just a pre-warning folks. All chapters for here on out are on the short side. If you want to wait until it's all posted to finish reading I'll understand completely :D**


	7. Chapter 7

March

The biggest change during the semester was the return of the fiery redhead named Victoria. "Just Vickie please," she told us all in September. She had started the beginning of the year with us, but left when her grandfather found out he had a terminal illness. Her whole family packed up and moved to Ireland to be with him until he passed. The school had let her keep up with her classes online and take first term exams at a University there.

I could tell it was going to spell the end of my "relationship" with James. He admitted to me, the first time she waltzed into the bar, that they had been close to starting something right before she left, and they'd still been talking to each other over Skype while she'd been gone. He insisted they were merely friendly chats, and I believed him, but I couldn't stop them from being together now; if that was what they wanted. I didn't see my relationship with James going anywhere romantic anyway, so that wouldn't be fair of me. As a result, we parted as friends. Friends who had kissed a bit, but it wasn't awkward between us at all.

Edward approached me one night when we were out at a bar during Spring Break to ask me if I was okay.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked him.

He pointed to the corner of the room where James and Vickie were locked in a tight embrace, practically eating each other's faces off.

I laughed so loud that Edward jumped. "I'm perfectly fine with it," I told him, touching him lightly on the arm. "But thanks… for being concerned. You're a great friend."

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek, smiling, then turned back to Bree to continue our conversation about a class we had this term. When I glanced behind me to see if James and Vickie were still kissing, Edward was still standing there, with the oddest expression on his face. I gave him a little wave and he smiled, turning and walking over to Riley.

I wasn't sure what was going on in Edward's head, but there was definitely _something_ new going on.

 **A/N: James was nice, but they weren't meant to be. You want to know who's meant to be? Me and my amazing team of Missy, Kenny, Mid and Annie!**


	8. Chapter 8

April to June

After Spring Break, my friendship with Edward became kind of strained. I couldn't quite put my finger on why. We still hung out, but he was a little standoffish with me. When we would goof around, as we used to, he would suddenly pull away as if I'd burned him. If I was being honest with myself, it hurt a little—well, a lot.

"I just don't get it," I said to Alice and Rose one weekend they had come with the guys to watch one of Edward's baseball games. "I mean, we still joke around like we used to but…"

"But?" Alice waved her hand in a keep going gesture.

"But he, like, pulls away. It's kind of strange. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing wrong."

"You aren't doing anything wrong, Bells," Bree said with a snort. "You're making it _hard_ for him to keep things friendly."

Rose snorted. "Really?" she asked Bree in a singsong voice. "Do share with the rest of the class."

Bree blushed. "Oh, maybe I shouldn't have said anything. Oh look! Riley's here!" She jumped off her stool and rushed over to Riley.

Rose and Alice looked at me. I put my hands up in the air. "I have no clue what she's talking about."

"Uh-huh." Alice laughed. "I think I have to have a little chat with my pal, Edward."

Rose nodded. "Most definitely."

"No, guys, please don't. I don't want to make him feel awkward. Please don't say anything. Not only that, but he's such a great friend, and I don't want to lose him."

I was sure by now I was bright red. I had always liked Edward. But he'd just gotten out of a two-year relationship, and he probably didn't want to tie himself down again so soon. He should have an opportunity to play the field a little. But why did that thought hurt so much?

 **A/N: Loving and appreciating all of you who are enjoying this! Forever love to Mid, Kenny, Missy and Annie!**


	9. Chapter 9

July

The summer saw Riley, Bree, Rose, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett headed for home. With baseball still in season, Edward stayed behind. I took some classes over the summer, and since they were all scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I would usually head home for the weekends to spend some time with my family. There was nobody to hang with back at school since Edward was away for games.

I thought with the rest of them gone, I had dodged a bullet with regards to my feelings for Edward. But I was wrong.

"So _Smelly,_ when are you going to grow the balls to ask Edward out?" Alec asked me one night.

I was so startled by both the question and his sudden appearance in the kitchen that I dropped the glass of water I was holding, shattering it all over the floor.

"Damn girl, it was just a question!" Alec laughed. "You don't have to get all jumpy."

" _Alec!_ " I screamed. "You scared the absolute _shit_ out of me!"

" _Language, Isabella!_ " My father shouted from the living room.

I cringed. " _Sorry, Dad!_ " I yelled back.

Alec had the sense to look sheepish when I glared at him. Not only had he scared the shit out of me, but now I was in trouble with my dad.

"Now, what were you caterwauling about?" I asked him.

"I asked you when you were going to grow the balls and ask Edward out. I know you like him." He grabbed the broom to start cleaning up the glass. Then he motioned for me to jump up on the counter so he could get the stuff by my feet.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that crap, Bells. Come on, this is me you're talking to. I know you."

I sighed. "It's complicated, Alec.

"Hey, I know I can be a shit sometimes, but I'm being serious right now. He likes you too, you know."

I looked up and glared at him. "Yeah, as a friend."

Alec shook his head. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, bro code and all, but I heard him and Jazz talking before they went home. Jazz was telling him he should just ask you out. But he said the same shit you're saying—that you're only his friend and he doesn't want to ruin your friendship. Do it, Bella. You ask him."

I didn't know what I was going to do.

.

.

.

I drove back to school the following Sunday, determined I was going to figure out something.

Harvard was having a home game, so I suited up in my _Cullen_ shirt and made my way down to the baseball diamond to cheer on my friend. The game was awesome. Edward hit a home run, allowing our team to win. I went to the bathroom just before the game ended, and was on my way back to the field to meet Edward, when I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. Some brunette was hanging all over him.

Was I really going to lose my chance with him before I'd even taken it? Hell no. I was going to ask that boy out.

Damn the consequences.

 **A/N: I made a slight change to this chapter. It is your mission, should you choose to accept it, to try and find the change (Annie, Missy, Kenny and Mid) *cackles evilly* For the rest of you, thanks for reading and reviewing! This early update is thanks to me having to work tomorrow, and probably being too busy to do ANYTHING else! Review replies will come when I get home from work!**


	10. Chapter 10

August

It took a lot for me to ask out Edward, and when he simply stood there, staring, for too long, not saying anything, I took it as rejection and started to walk away. He grabbed my arm to stop me and asked, "Are you serious?" When I answered, "Yes," the smile on his face was huge.

I was so nervous the night of our first date that I almost threw up three times before he got to my dorm to pick me up. When Bree pointed out that he'd said he was nervous about our date on Facebook, it started to make me feel a little better. Maybe he did like me as much as I liked him? Or maybe he was just nervous because he had never dated anyone else. Maybe it was too soon.

That was two weeks ago, and now the nerves, for both of us, had dissipated. We both looked forward to the time we could spend together during the day, in our shared class, and of course on our dates. All of our friends teased us about how long we had been "dancing around each other," but we didn't see it that way. To us, we had been building a solid foundation; one that would create a structure secure enough to sustain a lasting relationship.

We still made time to meet up with Alec, and with baseball season in full swing, a lot of fun was had attending games. Well, the home games; Edward still had to travel with the team a lot. Those were the hardest times for us both; only having text and Skype to talk to each other.

School this summer term was thankfully easy; I had only taken two classes, so there wasn't much time I had to spend on homework.

Still, I couldn't wait for fall term to start up again and bring back all of the people I was missing. Alice, Rose, and I had a couple of chats about stuff we'd like to do once we all got together again. I was really looking forward to spending more time with them this year. Having only met them a couple times, I was anxious to get to know them better. Plus, they'd both known Edward for years, and I could only imagine the stories they'd be able to share. Edward, on the other hand, wasn't looking forward to that portion. He told me he'd had a particularly awkward stage when he was thirteen. I was hoping they had pictures.

 **A/N: Some minor changes made to this one too... cause continuity I hate you :p I love Missy, Mid, Annie and Kenny though! And you guys for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

September to December

I got an opportunity to meet Edward's parents and his sister, Heidi, when our team played their last game of the season. If they won, Harvard would be in the playoffs. I was both hoping they would win and dreading it at the same time. I was so ready for baseball to be over. I just wanted my boyfriend back. His parents and sister were lovely, and my family joined us on the bleachers for Edward's last game. Harvard was down by two runs; there were runners on second and first, two outs, and Edward was up to bat.

Heidi and I were seated next to each other; hands clasped tightly together, her eyes nearly closed. The first pitch was a strike and the crowd, including my dad, groaned. The second pitch, another strike.

"Come on, Edward, you've got this," I muttered to myself.

The crack of the bat off the third pitch was loud in the nearly silent stadium, which erupted into cheers as the ball sailed over the back fence. Heidi and I jumped out of our seats, arms in the air.

"Go, Edward!" she yelled.

"I knew you could do it, baby!" I added my cheer to hers.

We turned and hugged each other, before running down the stairs to the edge of the field. Gripping the fence, we cheered Edward on as he ran the bases, a huge smile on his face. The picture of Heidi and I was later posted to Facebook, both of us, arms in the air, captioned: "Eddie's number one fans!"—It was a personal favorite of mine. Edward could faintly be seen in the background running from first to second base. I had it printed and framed.

When they later won the championship game, I printed a copy of a picture someone had taken of me and Edward at the after-party. In it, he and I were seen off in the background talking quietly against a wall. We had missed each other terribly while he was gone for the game, which was played out-of-state; if not for my mid-term exams, I would have gone with him.

For Halloween, we all went to Alec and Jasper's fraternity costume party. Before the party, Alice, Rosalie, Bree, and I hit the spa. We had a great time talking and taking pictures to send to the guys. Later that night, we drank so much I barely recalled the moments I saw later posted on Facebook. It was a little mortifying to see some of the pictures the girls and I had taken, but a fun time was had by all. I did, however, remember dancing with Edward, so close it was as if we were one person, as that led to something hotter later. That was the night we learned we had some serious chemistry.

This year, Esme and Carlisle invited me to come home with Edward for Thanksgiving, and I was quick to take them up on their offer. I couldn't wait to see his hometown, the house he grew up in, the schools he went to. He seemed as excited to show me as well. If not a little nervous. He was worried that we would run into his ex, but I wasn't concerned about that. Hanging out with his family was wonderful. I got to meet some of his aunts and cousins; and his sister, well, she'd become the little sister I never had growing up.

Edward spent another holiday with us when he made the decision to stay back at Christmas. Again, he was placed in Alec's room, only this time it came with the stern warning that my father was a light sleeper, and a pointed glare in Edward's direction. My mother slapped him on the arm, hauling him off with a wink in our direction.

Life was amazing.

Our relationship was amazing.

 **A/N: Updating now because it's technically tomorrow and I'll be in the 7th circle of hell aka work again. Pray that I make it out without maiming someone, I came close today... several times! Mid, Annie, Kenny and Missy have collected bail money, just in case :p**


	12. Chapter 12

June

Edward was injured while sliding into base during one of the first games of the season. His ACL was torn and he was officially done for the year. Things got a little stressful.

I almost cried when they wheeled him in for his surgery. Okay, I did cry, until Esme wrapped her arms around me and told me he'd be all right. "His dad found him the best surgeon out here. He'll be fine, honey. Plus, he'll have the best nurse taking care of him once he's out of surgery." She winked at me, and it made me laugh. After that, the two of us sat and talked about how everyone else was doing while we waited.

When classes let out, Riley, Bree, James, and Vickie joined us in the waiting room. It wasn't until they showed up that I realized Edward had been in surgery longer than was expected.

"Esme," I whispered, near panic, "why haven't they come to tell us how he is? Shouldn't he be in recovery by now?"

She looked at her watch, paling a bit, then stood and grabbed her purse. "I'll go see if I can find anything out."

It seemed to take forever before she came back into the waiting room with Carlisle in tow. Carlisle looked a little off and that shook me up even more.

"Bella, I will tell you what's going on, but you need to know that Edward is perfectly fine now."

"Now? Now, Carlisle? What does that mean 'fine now'? As opposed to what?"

"Calm down, honey. He's okay. I promise," he said in a soft voice. "They had some trouble controlling the bleeding, and he bled more than they liked. They had to give him a blood transfusion. But he's going to be fine."

I released the breath I had been holding, tears streaming down my face. "Can I see him? Even if it's only for a minute."

Esme looked at Carlisle and nodded. "Yes, that would be fine, but only you, okay? Your friends will have to come back tomorrow."

"Why don't you let Carlisle take you to Edward's room? I'll let your friends know what's going on," Esme suggested, squeezing my shoulder. I merely nodded in response.

Seeing Edward, pale and so still in that hospital bed, twisted my guts inside. I rushed to his bedside, moving back a piece of hair that had fallen onto his forehead.

His eyes fluttered open. "Bell?" he mumbled.

"I'm here, baby." I kissed his forehead and lingered there for a few moments. "You'll be fine. You'll be just fine."

"Love you, Bell," he mumbled again, before falling asleep.

My heart swelled. While it hadn't been the first time he'd said he loved me, it was the most meaningful to me; it meant he was still with me.

 **A/N: I survived work today! In honour of my classes starting today and having to work tomorrow I'm updating now. I wish Kenny, Annie, Mid or Missy would agree to do my classes for me :p I love them anyway because they fix my shit!**


	13. Chapter 13

August

Given that Edward was still recovering from his knee injury, and unable to play baseball, Rose, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and I went to New York for a week after summer finals. We rented hotel rooms and took in a Broadway show. We had a picnic in Central Park and went up the Empire State Building.

"Isn't the view beautiful? I asked Edward from my place at the edge.

"The view really is beautiful," he replied. Then taking my hand in his, he tugged gently, causing me to turn around.

He was on one knee beside me. "Bella, I can't pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with you. Sometimes it seems as if I've loved you my whole life; though we know that's not true." He chuckled. "When I had my surgery back in June, my whole life flashed in front of my eyes, and the only person I saw beside me was you. I will promise to love you, every day of the rest of our lives, if you would please do me the honor of being my wife. Marry Me?"

My hand flew to my mouth, tears welling in my eyes. _"Yes!_ Oh, my God! _Yes!_ Of course I'll marry you! I love you!"

He jumped to his feet and kissed me. Hands shaking slightly, he placed the ring on my finger, kissing me again.

Soon our friends surrounded us, offering congratulations. Someone took a picture of Edward, holding up my hand with my ring on display and a huge smile on his face, and posted it to his Facebook, announcing to his family, "SHE SAID YES!" as a comment. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett posted their congratulations too, and his mother commented how proud of us both she was, which brought tears to my eyes.

But it was Heidi's reaction that was the most enthusiastic, and funniest of all the comments: "So excited about my new sister!" and "I ship you like FedEx!"

Edward and I laughed about it for a while that night, before snuggling down and going to sleep as future husband and wife.

 **A/N: Second last chapter folks, I'm a little sad to be honest. Love, love, love Kenny, Missy, Mid and Annie! And all of you!**


	14. Chapter 14

One Year Later

Our wedding day was perfect, and wouldn't have been possible without the help of our families. They planned most of it, while we dealt with classes, exams, tests and Edward's return to baseball.

Rose, Alice, Bree, and Vickie were in my wedding party, along with Heidi. His cousin's kids made the most adorable ring bearer and flower girl I'd ever seen. Jasper, Emmett, James, and Riley looked so handsome in their tuxedos, but Edward, Edward stole the show.

The look on his face, as I walked toward him down the aisle on my father's arm, would be one I cherished for the rest of my days. The absolute love on his face, his wide smile, and tearing eyes. Incredible.

We exchanged vows in front of one hundred and fifty guests. The reception was amazing; the food and speeches unforgettable. It was a day I would cherish and remember forever. We managed to go on a weekend getaway, before returning for our classes, but we were fine with that. We would go on a longer honeymoon when we graduated in a year and a half.

Some of our extended family thought we were crazy, getting married so young, and maybe we were. After Edward's near death experience, though, we weren't willing to wait to be together. We wanted to live together and wake up together—every day; call us old fashioned—which James and Vickie did—but we wanted to be married when we did so.

Whoever would have thought that on the first day of college at Harvard, alone in my dorm room with my brother Alec, I would see the man I would love forever? Certainly not me at the time. But now, I knew, it was meant to be.

It was going to be a wonderful life.

 **A/N: And that's all she wrote folks. No seriously. This is the end, my only friend, the end. Mad love to Kenny, Annie, Missy and Mid. They read my words, to make sure they make sense, and to make sure they are correct. Thank you to all who read and reviewed, and who read and didn't review. I appreciate you all. School is in full swing, and so is work, so there won't be anything more right now... but my motto is never say never, you may just see these folks again (I'm actually kind of shocked at the amount of people that are asking for EPOV now :D )**


End file.
